Tomb Raider: Shard
by DragonLoverA113
Summary: Take note that this story is going to be portrayed like a game, so chapters will be like levels and maybe some paragraphs will be doubled like a checkpoint. But anyway this is a character I made up but she's the same species as one of the creatures in one of the Tomb Raider games, and that is the Proto-Nephilim, I made her Lara's companion and this is a story of how they met.
1. Chapter 1: Escape

Prague, Czech Republic 4:56 AM

Dr. Kristina Boaz medical expert and member of The Cabal was working on the one experiment she wishes to succeed in order to bring back the rare creature known as the Cubiculum Nephili-THE SLEEPER. But since it's rather impossible to create one her experiment was to create an abomination called the Proto-Nephilim, a creature made up of several different animal parts but having half the blood and some-what appearance of the Nephilim itself. She began by creating an infant for test results, before dismantling it after it's purpose as a tool was done and then create the adult version for the final result. Using the body of both a wolf and a baboon, the facial structure of a baboon, the ears of a bat, the claws of a tiger but as sharp as an eagle's talons, the heart and lungs of a cheetah, and the brain of a velociraptor. She even injected some her own blood inside it, as if she'll have the authority to control the creature...or so she thought.

After a few hours of work Boaz's project was done, her first Proto-Nephilim, she put it in an incubator to kept it alive and also scanned the creature to identify it's gender...it was a girl. "Excellent, I know just what to name you, Shard." Said Boaz as she smirked before leaving the room to check up on the experimentation room for female proto-nephilim's test runs and results. A couple of hours went by and Boaz was still running tests on the machines Shard's speed, stamina, strength, agility, flexibility, and intelligence, however she didn't know Shard would awaken so soon cause when she did she looked around wondering where she was. Also to think that Boaz's blood would control her...but it didn't instead the human blood only gave Shard superior intelligence, incredible strength, and the ability to speak. "Uhhhhgggghhh, where am I?" Shard questioned herself. "A maximum security prison facility? I don't like the looks of this, I need to get out of here and fast!"

( _This is where it starts to become an actual video game idea. ;) )_

Mission Objective: Escape the Facility

{for PC} "Press 'ALT' to activate Shard's venomous spitting attack"

{for Xbox} "Press 'B' to activate Shard's venomous spitting attack"

{for PS2 or PS3} "Press the 'circle' to activate Shard's venomous spitting attack"

[Shard spits on the incubator hinges and they melt instantly, then she carefully climbs out of the incubator box. She then takes cover over by a nearby medical cabinet to take cover.]

Shard: **Okay Shard, think! Is there anyway to out of here without being detected?**

[Camera pans slightly to the right and zooms in for you to spot a nearby vent]

Shard: **Yes, how convenient there happens to be an air vent in here. Hopefully my creator enter the room I was in, otherwise I'd be in serious trouble.**

[She quietly opens the vent and enters, then crawls through but about half way to the other end of the vent she was in a couple of guards enter the room.]

Guard: **Huh? Oh crap the proto-infant is gone, warn Boaz NOW!**

Shard: ***sigh* Crap, now what?!**

[You controlling her she keeps crawling until she gets to a safe gape]

Shard: **Okay, no choice I'll have to fight my way out.**

[Shard keeps crawling through the vents until she came to a part where she might be easily detected, then one them spots her.]

Guard: **There! Get inside the vents quickly!**

Shard: **Sh*t!**

[She keeps going until she come face to face with one of the guards, it does a slow motion scene so you have a chance to press one of the various buttons to dodge or attack your enemy. He lunges at her "Press 'jump' to dodge"...(if successful, she jumps on top of his arm; if failed he pins her down and has to start again) she looks directly at him "press 'secondary attack' to spit"...(if successful she spits her venom in his face and he screams in pain, then she makes a run for it; if failed he swats her off to the ground pins down again, then calls in team and once again start again) She then crawls out of the vent and makes a run for it, she takes down multiple guards using her claws and spitting attack.]

{for PC} "Press 'CTRL' to attack"

{for Xbox} "Press 'X' to attack"

{for PS2 or PS3} "Press the 'square' to attack"

(on her way to the Strahov fortress entrance "Game Over" animations like the guard holds her up by the harness, or maybe get shot by a tranquilizer.)

 _Loading Screen_

[As soon as she makes it out of the Sanitarium, she then runs into the Bio-Dome and fights a few creatures in the dome itself. She comes across a part where you get to try a new action.]

Shard: **Oh great how am I going to get pass this? Oh wait those bushes, I can use my camouflage ability here!**

{for PC} "Press and hold 'Enter' to go into camouflage/stealth mode"

{for Xbox} "Press and hold 'Y' to go into camouflage/stealth mode"

{for PS2 or PS3} "Press and hold the 'triangle' to go into camouflage/stealth mode"

[Shard goes into stealth mode in the bushes]

Shard: **I know I'm not completely invisible, but at least my camouflage ability will respond to whatever relates to hiding in the shadows.**

[She moves from bush to bush avoiding the guards, but then you come across another new action. The camera focuses on a small lizard-like creature and Shard comments]

Shard: **Hey those lizard creatures, they'll help increase my strength. If I eat enough of those guys I'll be strong and slightly big enough to pin down and eat a human.**

{for PC} "Hold down 'Shift' and press 'CTRL' to use Shard's long sticky tongue to grab the lizard creature"

{for Xbox} "Hold down 'Right Bumper' and press 'X' to use Shard's long sticky tongue to grab the lizard creature"

{for PS2 or PS3} "Hold down 'R1' and press the 'square' to use Shard's long sticky tongue to grab the lizard creature"

[Shard uses her tongue to catch the lizard creatures and eats them quickly, and after you've eaten a certain number of them Shard will grow slightly larger. She then does a sneak attack on the guard, drags him into the bushes, and eats him partially. Shard's strength, venom intensity, and camouflage strength will then increase faster making her more dangerous, she's also now moved into kid stage after eating that guard. Since creatures like her will grow rapidly like the xenomorph. Shard now makes her way to the door running like the wind from room to room, silently taking down guards and disposing the bodies in water tanks and bushes. Also battled experimental creatures within the Bio-Dome, until finally she came to one Eckhardt's minions, Grant Muller.]

Shard: **Oh great, not this guy. Okay I'll need to create some sort of distraction, and I know just the thing.**

{for PC} "Hold down 'Shift' and tap 'ALT' to activate echolocation then use the arrow keys to navigate"

{for Xbox} "Hold down 'Right Bumper' and tap 'B' to activate echolocation the use the analog stick to navigate"

{for PS2 or PS3} "Hold down 'R1' and tap 'circle' to activate echolocation the use the analog stick to navigate"

[Shard uses echolocation to reverberate sound on the walls opposite from her in order to distract Muller, he gets distracted and goes to investigate. Shard moves nearly close to the exit door, she reverberates sound again the wall opposite from where she was standing and Muller once again checks to find out what that was. Shard then finally exits the Bio-Dome.]

 _Loading Screen_

[Shard starts to make her through the Strahov Fortress using sneak attacks when necessary and climbing, hopping over obstacles, and doing acrobatic moves to get to the end of the building. The screen loads again and fades in outside as Shard makes her way to the loading trucks and tends to hitch a ride to Paris, but she first must find a way to sweep away her tracks in the snow. Thankfully she spots a janitor and makes a mess on purpose to not only clean it up but write a message in the snow to let the janitor know she wants her tracks erased. Shard then hitches a ride on one of the trucks just as it leaves, however as soon as the janitor was finished Boaz and a couple of guards came out and followed the janitor to the truck loaders.]

[Boaz found Shard's foot prints and smirks.]

Boaz: **Ah-ha! Hitched a ride to Paris, eh? Too bad you weren't quick enough to eliminate your tracks.**

[She and the guards sneaked themselves on a truck as well, and hitched a ride to Paris.]


	2. Chapter 2: Clever Girl

Paris, Parisian Ghetto

[After hours of driving Shard finally getting some sleep along the way, made her way into the Parisian Ghetto. Although it was like a maze in there she managed to find something to eat, like a few rats or maybe a hostile guard and of course she the body in the ocean, making sure she leaves no clues for Boaz to find. She then had a brilliant idea of making her way to the docks through the Louvre Storm Drains, so she quickly found a nearby manhole cover and traveled through the sewer. She slides down the ladder and maneuvers through the drain storms and through deep water.]

Shard: **Okay I think this route might slow down Boaz, still n** **o time to dally, she could be close behind... and I could smell her even after hitching a ride on that truck...well, only because my sense of smell is super sharp. I need to get to the nearest dock.**

[As she makes her through the sewer, she comes across deep water.]

{for PC} "Press 'CTRL' to dive or press 'Alt+Up' to swan dive, and use the arrow keys to navigate while holding down 'CTRL' "

{for Xbox} "Press 'B' to dive or press 'A+B' to swan dive, and use the D-Pad to navigate while holding down 'B' "

{for PS2 or PS3} "Press 'circle' to dive or press 'X+circle' to swan dive, and use the analog stick to navigate while holding down 'circle' "

[After several minutes of moving through the sewers, Shard could finally smell the docks from a mile away and found another manhole cover to climb out of. She then finds a boat setting sail to England, and hops on board unsuspected.]

{Loading Screen}

[By the time Shard left, Boaz was already tracking her and picked up her scanner readings on her tracker. True Shard may have slowed Boaz down by moving through the Louvre Storm Drains, but she once again made a mistake but this time forgot to erase her mud tracks near the docks.]

Boaz: **Ha ha, forgot to eliminate your tracks this time, Shard? Obviously you were in a hurry, come on boys, were off to England.**

[But once they made it to England, Boaz couldn't get any reading from her tracker. Shard was using something to mask her scent, as if she knew she forgot to erase her tracks and quickly found an alternative, and in this case she's using mud, dirt, and dog hair.]

Boaz: **Oh clever...very clever indeed, Shard. I have to hand it to you, you really are a clever girl.**


	3. Chapter 3: England

London, England

[It wasn't long before the boat boarded the England docks, and Shard hopping off to find a place to spend the night. She found a safe ally way and rested up until morning.]

...

[The next morning Shard awoke bright and early to get moving and possibly some place to maybe find sanctuary. As she searched she spotted two very interesting figures, one looked like a father the other a daughter and the little girl was holding an artifact one that Shard seemed to know very well. It was a mummified arm of her kind, the Proto Nephilim, Shard took action and followed them keeping out of sight as best as she could. But unfortunately she had to jump from car-to-car for they were about to hop in their limousine, so quickly she hopped on a car that was heading their direction.]

{Press 'Jump' to jump from car-to-car.}

[And unfortunately another problem was met...Boaz found her was chasing after her, but didn't seem to be attack in any way. Just following her and watching her like she was observing. Shard decided to ignore her this time, and focus on jumping from car-to-car to catch up with the archaeologist family, soon she got to a part where she found out where they lived and retreated somewhere so that it did look like she was shadowing them. However one of them noticed when Shard hopped off the last car through the rear view mirror, as much as she wanted to keep following them Shard felt like it finally time to stop running and face her fears.]

Boaz: **Very impressive, I not just talking about what I've recorded on my tracker. You've finally decided to stop running and face the real challenge!**

Shard: **What is it you really want from me, Boaz? I thought you want to bring me back to Prague for as your test subject, and then eventually kill me like I was nothing but a sample for your precious project.**

Boaz: **Yes I would have done that, but ever since you've escaped and spent most of my time tracking you down, I never realized studying your tactics along the way was a better strategy then using you as a useless model. Which is why I'm letting you go.**

Shard: **T** **hat's what you've been doing while I running all through out Prague and Paris?...You could have just studied what you've learned from me and then leave me alone, man I can't believe I to go through all that crap just to...wait what? You're-you're letting me go, after what I had to go through?**

Boaz: **Yes, forgive me you had to go through all of that just for me to tell you I decided to let you go after studying you along the way.**

[Shard smiled and nodded slightly.]

Shard: **Apology accepted, and...to be honest I'm glad I ran from Prague to here in England. It was quite an adventure, and I'm relieved that you've decided to let me go free.**

Boaz: **Indeed, well now now that I've got what I wanted I guess this is goodbye.**

Shard: **Agreed, farewell Boaz! I hope your final project will turn out a second success.**

[The Boaz and Shard shook hands and parted ways, Shard stayed for a bit longer to watch her creator leave. Boaz looked back for a few moments before perking a small smile, and her driver drove off back to the docks to head back to Prague. Shard then turned her attention to the manor, and headed straight for it. Hopping over the fence to the garden Shard found the father and daughter walk along the patio, until they found a bench to rest and that's where Shard made her move to come in close, but not too close. The little girl caught sight of her again and pointed her out.]

Girl: **There father that's what I saw when we got home, the creature that jumped off a car behind ours.**

Dad: **Oh, well, I see. Wait...**

[The dad looked at the arm he was holding and realized what Shard was.]

Dad: **Lara, this is a real proto nephilim. But how is that possible? They're but a hybrid experiment from their ancestor, THE SLEEPER, the Cubiculum Nephili.**

Shard: **Be that as may, but I really was created in Prague, sir.**

Girl: **She can talk!**

Dad: **Incredible!**

Shard: **Ha ha yes, my creator used some of her DNA to not only make me highly intelligent, but also gave me the ability to speak. My name is Shard, sir, pleasure to meet you.**

Dad: **Ah and a pleasure to meet you, miss Shard, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Richard, Richard Croft and this is my daughter, Lara.**

Shard: **Hello Richard! Lara! I hope you don't if I ask if I could possibly make some part of your mansion my home?**

Lara: **Or you could have the whole thing. Can we keep her father, she looks like she's been through quite a lot.**

Shard: **You don't know the half of it.**

Richard: **Where darling, we're going to have to see what your mother says about this.**

Lara: **Alright.**

Shard: **Hmmmm and what is your wife's name, sir?**

Richard: **Ah that would be my beloved Amelia, such a wonderful and extraordinary woman. I hope she wouldn't mind you staying either.**

Shard: **Me too, she sounds like a sweet person.**

Richard: **Oh she is.**

[As the three of them went inside, Richard found his wife in the lobby reading.]

Amelia: **Ah Richard, I'm so happy to see you return from you journey. Did you teach Lara a few new things about archaeology?**

Richard: **I did, and we just so happened to find this amazing mummified arm of a hybrid creature, name of a proto nephilim.**

Amelia: **No kidding, a real and rare piece of a proto nephilim. I thought they were just experiments to copy their ancestor, the cubiculum nephili, apparently there were some still alive before extinction.**

Lara: **And we have an even bigger surprise, mother! Come on out, Shard.**

Amelia: **Shard?**

[Shard slowly stepped out from behind the chair, and Amelia was a bit shocked at first but also amazed.]

Shard: **It's alright, Lady Croft, I'm not dangerous and I mean no harm.**

Amelia: **She talks too...well this is surprising indeed.**

Shard: **I hope I didn't frighten you too much, or a bother knowing that I wish for a place to stay. It's been quite a long day for me.**

Amelia: **Well seeing a creature particular a proto nephilim, for the first time in our mansion. I would think about this, but can I see you've been through a lot of trouble...so how about I have Lara show you around, and then tomorrow I'll see what I have say.**

Shard: **Sounds good to me, thank you so very much, Amelia!**

Lara: **Yes thank you, mother! I promise she'll make a great companion!**

[Amelia smiled as Lara toured Shard all the Croft Manor the pool, the gym, the trophy room, the library, the garden, and the bedrooms. After the tour Lara and Shard settled in for the night. Lara lays in bed while Shard laid right beside her like a dog.]


	4. Chapter 4: Meet the Crofts

Croft Manor, London

[That very next morning, Shard woke up bright and early to find Lara still slightly sleeping. And like any dog would do, she licked her gently, and Lara giggled rubbing Shard dog-like slobber off her face.]

Lara: **Hehehe morning, Shard.**

Shard: **Morning, Lara.**

[The two then came down for breakfast, and Amelia smiling at the two happy to be around each other she still had to decided whether she really wants Shard to stay. She was keeping a close eye on her, but as she saw Shard spending more and more time with Lara Amelia began to realize how happy she felt around her daughter. Including on how the way she protects her by keeping Lara away from sharp objects or almost taking a nasty fall, or maybe even smelling something dangerous and keeping Lara from getting burned or poisoned. Truly Shard was a natural guard dog around Lara, finally Amelia made her choice after a few weeks of observing Shard for quite sometime.]

Amelia: **Shard? I have good news for you.**

Shard: **Yes, ma'am?**

Amelia: **My answer is yes. Welcome to the family, Shard Croft.**

[Shard's expression went wide, she never felt so happy in her life.]

Shard: **Shard Croft?!**

Lara: **That's got a really nice ring to it.**

Shard: **Oh thank you! Thank you, thank you so much, Amelia! I promise I'll be the best companion ever, and to keep your daughter safe.**

Amelia: **Ahehehe, but you already know how to keep my daughter safe. And I couldn't ask for a better companion for my daughter!**

[Shard smiled sweetly and hugged Amelia.]

Shard: **Thanks Amelia! I was right, and your husband was right you really are a sweet person.**

Amelia: **Awwww thank you, sweet-heart, and so are you.**

[Shard licked Amelia's cheek and she laughed cheerfully, and then let her continue to play with Lara.]

[As the years passed, Shard finally grew to her full grown stage. Lara was a teenager around that time, until she herself grew to be a young woman as you now see her in the game "Tomb Raider". So began the birth of Lara and Shard Croft: The Tomb Raiders!]

 _ **The End**_


End file.
